


There's No Place I'd Rather Be

by RedBubbles



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Future, Cross Country, Eventer!Levi, Eventer!Mikasa, Famous!Levi, Farrier!Eren, Horseback Riding, Horses, M/M, dressage, eventing, horse riding, show jumping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-08-08 14:51:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7762165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedBubbles/pseuds/RedBubbles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi Ackerman: a name the frequents the top lists of elite eventers. With all the horses, staff, sponsors and money he needs, he has everything a rider could possibly hope for.<br/>Eren Yaeger: a name the appears only on his business card, and is known singularly by clients, friends and family. A farrier from a small  family, he is the step-brother of world class eventer, Mikasa Ackerman, and best friend of famed natural horseman, Armin Arlert.<br/>Neither Levi nor Eren expect to run into each other, but when they do, the results are explosive. Levi has never given thought to his sexuality, but with Eren around, that changes. Eren knows from the start; Levi is the only person he wants to be with.<br/>When infamous horse thief and crooked dealer, Kenny Ackerman, crashes back into the picture, the trust between Levi and his fans and sponsors is severely tested. But at least he has Eren.<br/>However, when Mikasa’s horse is stolen following a humiliating defeat on Levi’s part, and all evidence points to Kenny Ackerman, it seems as though Eren’s trust and love for Levi is about to snap. Can Levi, abandoned by sponsors, shunned by fans, hated by rivals, bring Kenny to justice, save his name, and bring back the boy he loves?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Singeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan, or any of the characters in this story! All rights and credit go to Hajime Isayama and the rest of the SnK team. I only take credit for the writing!
> 
> I'll try to update every month, but please don't rip me apart if I can't manage to do so!
> 
> (My Tumblr is http://dinosaur-proxy.tumblr.com/ )

“Now entering the ring, Levi Ackerman, riding Wings of Freedom, sponsored and courtesy of Survey Corps Equestrian Wear,”  
A flashy bay horse trots into the ring, neck arched, flicking his hooves out. The man a top him sits deep in the saddle, back as straight as a rod, staring ahead. The initial cheer that had erupted from the crowd following Levi’s announcement had finally died down. Every eye was on him, for he was, and he knew it, a favourite for winning the competition. He stops before the judges, breathes in deeply, salutes, extending his hand, then taking up the reins again. He pauses for a moment, judging the distance between him and the edge of the ring, then moves on. His horse immediately moves on with the slightest signal, and once he’s rounded the corner, he moves into a trot. Levi barely moves in the saddle, his hands never stray from a few inches above his mount’s withers, his heels never rising. He stares straight ahead, and flows with his horse between the collected trot, to the extended trot, to the canter, through the serpentines and rein changes, never once losing focus or breaking his concentration. A sharp turn down the centre line pulls a gasp of awe from the crowd, and a perfectly executed flying change ends his round. The slightest pull on the reins stops his horse, and he salutes once again, before turning, and walking out to a cacophony of applause. Despite his praise, his expression is thunderous, and it doesn’t change as he passes through the tunnel, to the warm up arena, and then on to the mounting area. He doesn’t turn his head or look around as awed whisper follow him, hushed voices hissing “you go talk to him!” and “ask him for an autograph!” and even the occasional “wow, he’s even hotter in person!”. Gifted with a light, lithe build and an ability to easily gain muscle tone, and a face that was handsome despite its perpetual scowl and thunderous expression, Levi had regularly turned down modelling jobs, both for equine clothing lines and non-equine clothing lines. He had done occasional modelling for Survey Corps Equine Wear, but that was purely professional. The sponsorship came with conditions, and modelling was, however unfortunately, one of them. He dismounts, and breathes in and out slowly. He had competed in so many different competitions now, that they all seemed to blur. Especially low level competitions like this one, where it was more about showing his face than winning anything. They just ran together like watercolours on saturated canvas. He takes up his reins, knots them over Wings’ neck, and starts walking. He couldn’t be bothered with watching other riders; it would only attract attention, young fans drifting over, shyly asking for autographs, busty girls wearing polo shirts 2 sizes too small who smiled and fluttered their eyelashes at him, men riding horses three times the size of Wings, slapping him hard on the back in the way of a congratulations. No, Levi far preferred to wait out the time between competing and the announcement of the winners in the quiet of the stalls.  
“Excellent form, Levi, as usual,”  
Well, the usually quiet stalls.  
Levi turns his gaze from the saddle in his arms to the figure standing in front of the stable door, and he grunts.  
“Hello, Hanji,”  
“I’m glad to see that you’re giving Titan Motors a good representation,”  
They point to the insignia emblazoned on the side of the numnah, a picture of a car made seemingly out of muscle and sinew. Beside it are the literal wings of freedom, intertwined blue and white wings; the symbol of Levi’s other sponsor, Survey Corps Equestrian Wear.  
“It’s nice to see you too, Levi. How’s Titan doing? I’ve been wanting to come down and see him, but I just can’t find the time,” they smile at him, ducking their head and letting the glare move off their glasses, “too busy designing cars and whatnot, you know?”  
“You mean you’re too busy pulling cars apart and trying to blow yourself up,”  
Hanji laughs and straightens up, folding their arms.  
“Not blowing myself up, Levi, experimenting. Trying to work out exactly what makes the car run as best as it can,”  
Levi only grunts in reply, and Hanji is forced to step back as he dumps the saddle down on the stable door. They tuck a loose lock of hair back behind their ear, and watch as Levi begins unbuckling Wings’ bridle.  
“Titan is doing fine, for your information,” Levi informs them, referring to the horse they had given him as part of their agreed sponsorship, “although he’s still prone to outbursts of…mania,” he shoots Hanji a look, “I can’t think why that might be,”  
Hanji laughs. A keen rider themselves, they had broken in and trained Titan, and therefore, Levi blamed any shortcomings and flaws of the horse on them. No horse of his ever misbehaved.  
“I can’t think why, either. I don’t train my horses to be mad,”  
“No, but you do let them run wild until they’re 3 years old, then try to ride them and laugh when they throw you off,”  
“I like to let them have a bit of a wild streak! A horse with no spirit isn’t a horse worth riding,”  
Levi opens his mouth to retaliate, but stops when a new man steps into view. Dressed in a suit, which was uncommon at such low level events, he regards Levi for a second, then reaches over the stable door, arm extended, and shakes Levi’s waiting hand.  
“You looked fantastic out there,”  
“Mhmm,” is all Levi gives in the way of reply, crouching down to wash the bit in a bucket of cold water.  
“Hello, Erwin. I wasn’t expecting to see you here,” Hanji says, and he shrugs.  
“I wasn’t expecting to be here, but my appointment got cancelled, and I was close-by,”  
“Most sponsors make it their priority to see their clients perform,” Levi says, sounding bitter, “but I suppose at a low level dressage show like this, it isn’t top of your agenda,”  
Erwin frowns.  
“Levi, I know you’re apprehensive about competing in dressage-only competitions, but-“  
“I’m not apprehensive, I’m pissed off. I should be focusing all my attention and energy on getting to Badminton, not trotting around these baby rings at fancy, flouncy kids shows,”  
Badminton had been the goal in mind for Levi ever since he had first gotten on a horse, way back when he was just 13 years old. He had missed his chances in the past few years, whether due to injury, illness or familial issues, and this year, he was determined not only to attend, but to win.  
“It’s good practice for you to monopolise all your concentration onto one event sometimes,”  
“Is that why you’re sending me upcountry to compete in a cross country day out? The type of thing that doting mothers and fathers send their darling, precious little treasures to?” he snaps, slipping a head collar over Wings’ nose and buckling it up.  
“Levi, you’re going to a family cross country day out?” Hanji cuts in, a wide smile on their face, “oh, I absolutely must organise a meet and greet! That would be such fantastic publicity for you, oh, and imagine getting to meet all your fans! You must tell me when and where-“  
They stop talking as Levi grabs the base of their ponytail and twists their head to face him. His eyes are burning.  
“I am not doing a meet and greet,” he growls, “I am going, I am jumping, and I am leaving,”  
Hanji pulls away, looking slightly disheartened.  
“Suit yourself, but it would be great for your image,”  
“My image means nothing,” he says, letting himself out of the stable, carrying the saddle on his hip, the bridle over his shoulder, and holding the end of Wings’ lead rope in his free hand. Hanji and Erwin step back.  
“It may mean nothing to you, but it means a great deal to your sponsors,"  
Levi leads Wings out of the stable, and Erwin lays a hand on the horse’s neck.  
“Petra!” Levi calls, looking around. A head bobs into view, and she walks up swiftly, careful not to spook Wings. Levi dumps the saddle, numnah and bridle into her arms.  
“Take these to the box. I’m about to do a warm down with Wings, and then I’ll be loading him. His stall had better be sparkling clean before I do,”  
Petra nods. adjusting the saddle better onto her arms.  
“Yes, Levi,”  
She bobs out of sight, clutching the saddle.  
“Levi, no,” Erwin says, “you and Wings should both be present at the awards ceremony, in full tack and turn out,”  
Levi sighs sharply.  
“I have no interest in attending. I have enough rosettes and trophies to last me a life time, I don’t want another,”  
“That’s assuming that you win something,”  
Levi gives Erwin a withering look.  
“We both know I will,”  
Hanji is still staring at the space where Petra had stood, resting their face in the palm of their hand, leaning against the stable door.  
“I remember when you first hired her, she didn’t know whether to jump for joy or cower in fear,” Hanji says, then punches Levi’s shoulder gently, “you’re too intimidating. I bet you’d be so much more popular if you were nice, and smiled a bit,”  
“I don’t want to be popular,” he grumbles, tugging at Wings’ lead rope, encouraging him to start walking, “and I don’t want to win this silly competition” he says, glancing at Erwin, “I want to be ready for Badminton,”


	2. Chapter 2

“Keep your thumbs pointing forward, and bring her round to the jump again,” Levi says loudly, and the rider he’s talking to nods determinedly, pushing their heels down even more and gripping the reins. The horse’s ears flicker back and forth, and they hesitate as they approach the jump.  
“Loosen your grip! You’re squeezing the reins, and that’s telling her to stop,” Levi calls, and the moment the rider loosen’s her grip, her horse bolts forward and clears the jump with a snort and a swish of her tail. As she canters away, Levi paces up and down the centre line, watching the duo.  
“That was good, but you’re still folding too much as you take off. You handle it well, and you’re able to stay balanced, but I’m worried that it’ll start catching up with you when you start jumping higher. Then, the horse goes further, and lands harder, and it might over balance you,”  
He glances at the clock hanging at one end of the school.  
“Ok, we’ve got 20 minutes left. Do you want to keep jumping, or should we work on serpentines?”  
The rider puffs, red faced.  
“Serpentine would be good,”  
“Trot down to K, then show me your serpentine,”  
Out in the yard, the phone starts ringing. Levi disregards it, but as it continues ringing, he huffs. He watches the rider as she performs a wobbly, uncontrolled serpentine.  
“Ok, try that again, and really push into the bends. Use your inside leg,” he walks to the door of the school, “I’ll be right back,”  
He strides out into the bright light of the yard, and shields his eyes. The phone keeps ringing.  
“Petra! Why is the phone still ringing?” he calls, and Petra’s red, sweaty face appears from inside a stable, holding a huge harness in her arms.  
“You told me to get Stohess ready for carriage driving!”  
“You can put the harness down to get the phone!” Levi snaps, walking towards the office, “where's Isabel?”  
“She lunging Cadet in the outdoor arena!” Petra calls after him, then yelps. Levi pauses.  
“You ok?” he calls after an hesitant second.  
“Yeah, just got nipped,”   
Levi walks in the office, grumbling, and picks up the phone, tucking it between his shoulder and his ear.  
“Wall Rose Yard, this is Levi Ackerman, how can I help you?” he says flatly, used to the same announcement every time he had to answer the phone.  
“Levi!”  
He groans.  
“Hanji, this phone is for business only. If you want to discuss something personal, call my mobile,”  
“I tried 6 times but you didn’t answer!”  
“I was in the middle of a lesson,” he glances at the clock, “this will have to wait,”  
“But it can’t!”  
“Unless someone is dying, then I don’t care. It can wait,”  
“But Levi-“  
“Is someone dying?”  
“No, but-“  
“Then I will call you back after my lesson!” and with that, he slams the phone down. He slams the office door shut behind him, and stomps back to the school. The girl is still trotting up and down, repeating her wobbly serpentine. Levi looks at the clock, and sighs, seeing that Hanji wasted 10 whole minutes of his time.  
“Hitch, you need to push her out more,” he snaps, irritated by Hanji’s meaningless wasting of his time.  
She nods, and her horse bends out on the corner, then, with a squeal, shies at the corner, and leaps into the middle of the school.  
“That’s ok, just sit deep in the saddle,” Levi says calmly as the horse tosses her head and jerks her feet up. Hitch tugs on the reins, and her horse fights against her.  
“Stop pulling on your reins, you’re only making it worse,”  
The lesson is almost over by the time Hitch gets her horse under control. Levi glances at his jacket, hanging by the viewing area, then looks back at her.  
“Cross over your stirrups and walk her round on a long rein,” he commands, and Hitch obeys quickly, tugging up her stirrups and letting her long legs hang down.  
“That last serpentine was good, after you’d gotten her under control, but you really need to work on pushing her out. She gets lazy on the turns. As for the jumping, remember what I said about folding too much. You’ve got good balance, but I don’t want you getting thrown off by a high or long jump,”  
She nods, taking it all in.  
“Ok, you can dismount. Put her in the second stable block. Are you gonna have time to untack, or do you need to go quickly?”  
Hitch looks at the clock.  
“I’ve got my hockey class in 15 minutes. I should probably get going,”  
“Alright. Leave her in the box,”  
He waves his hand dismissively, and Hitch dismounts, leading her horse out. Levi goes to the viewing area, and reaches for his jacket. He feels in the pockets for his phone, and pulls it out. The screen lights up and, as predicted, shows the 6, now 7, missed calls from Hanji. Levi sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose as he dials Hanji’s number. Whatever they want, it had better be important. Hanji picks up after the 4th ring.  
“Levi! You have to get down to my yard, immediately!”  
“Why,”   
“My cat had kittens! Two little kittens, I’ve called them S-”  
Levi growls, and his grip tightens on his phone.  
“You interrupted my lesson to tell me that your cat gave birth?” he snaps.  
Hanji laughs from the other end of the line.  
“That’s not all I wanted. I also wanted to let you know that I organised that meet and greet, at the cross country show this weekend!”  
Levi is amazed that his phone doesn’t crack under the pressure he exerts on it. His hand is almost shaking with how hard he’s gripping it. He breathes in and out deeply, shutting his eyes.  
“I made it very clear that I didn’t want that meet and greet to happen,” he says, voice low.  
“Oh, Levi, your fans demand it!”  
“I. Don’t. Care!” he growls, “I told you, I am going, I am jumping, I am leaving! There is no meet and greet in that plan, is there?”  
“Well, there is now,” Hanji says, then sighs, “you know, you could try and act grateful,”  
“How can act grateful when I’m not?”  
“Mhmm. Anyway, come to my yard, I really want you to meet the kittens! There’s a little tabby who I called Bean, and a tiny, absolutely adorable white one I called Sonny!”  
“I can’t, I don’t have time. Unlike some, I have to work, instead of faffing around with kittens and cars-“  
Hanji gasps.  
“Levi, that’s amazing! Kittens and cars, what a great slogan! That should be a theme for your photoshoot this Thursday!”  
Levi groans. He had forgotten all about the damn photoshoot that Erwin and Hanji had set up for him to promote Erwin’s new line of spring equine equipment.  
“I need to go,” Levi grumbles.  
“Will you come down this evening?”  
“No,”  
“Tomorrow?”  
“I’m hanging up now,”  
“But Levi, I want you to-“  
He presses the end call button, and groans. As useful as sponsors are, his don’t half get on his nerves.


	3. Chapter 3

The camera flashes, blinding Levi for a millisecond.  
“That’s good, that’s good, now just tilt your head away slightly,”  
Levi does so, staring off into space. The camera flashes again.  
“These are fantastic, now just look left, good, good, a little more left,” the photographer kneels down, angling the camera at him, “Levi, your jawline could cut steel,”  
He’s barely listening. The silk lining of the dressage jacket is cool against his arms, but the boots dig into the backs of his knees. His feet are aching from standing for so long.  
“Excellent, now unbutton the jacket, and face me,”  
He does so, and glares straight at the camera. The photographer smiles, her camera clicking away.  
“You’re fantastic, Levi,”   
He huffs, and straightens the cravat at his neck, tugging on it.  
“Keep your hand right there,” she calls, snapping a picture. Levi freezes, and the camera clicks loudly. The lights are bright, and his head is beginning to hurt. He desperately wants this shoot to be over. The photographer straightens up, letting the camera hang around her neck, and runs a hand through her hair.  
“Excellent! Mike, can we get the next set?” she calls, and readjusts the camera around her neck.  
“Nanaba, aren’t we done?” Levi asks, shrugging the jacket off. The boots still dig uncomfortably into his knees, and he’s aching to get them off. Thankfully, when Mike brings out the next set of clothes cradled in his arms, Levi spots a new pair of boots, and sighs silently in relief.   
“Nope,” she says, and walks to Mike, taking one of the jackets, a dark blue showjumping jacket with tiny silver sequins sewn over the shoulder, creating the illusion of stars. She holds it up, squinting her eyes, then looks back to Mike.  
“Where’s the hat?”  
“I can’t carry everything,” he replies, and Nanaba takes the clothes from him, and hands them to Levi.  
“Go change,”  
Levi scowls.  
“Is this the last one?”  
But Nanaba’s attention is caught as Mike walks back, holding a riding hat that matches the jacket; dark blue, with tiny imitation diamond inlaid across the front. They sparkle under the bright lights, irritating Levi. Once behind the curtain where he can change, he huffs loudly, the scowl still on his face despite there being no one to see it. He couldn’t help but think of all the practicing he was missing out on. He began to run through a list of improvements and modifications he could make to his dressage routine, and then began thinking of the ideal time slot in which to practice them. Adding a serpentine between the flying change and the collected trot…but that would involve coming back to trot right after a flying change, which wouldn’t give him time to show it off…maybe adding a diagonal extended walk…a collected canter would have to be added in somewhere…but when to practice it? Tomorrow the farrier was coming, to re-shoe Titan and fit him with studs before the…DAMMIT. Levi swore under his breath, and stood shirtless for a moment, fuming, before roughly shoving his arms into the new white shirt. He was re-shoeing Titan for the cross-country meet up on Saturday. He was about ready to explode with fury. More excuses, more time wasters, more stupid set ups to gain popularity that he already had.   
“Levi?”  
“WHAT?” he snaps, then clenches his jaw, sucks a deep breath in, and replies in a calmer voice, “what?”  
“We’re ready when you are,”  
Levi wrenches the boots on and shrugs on the jacket. Mike is standing at the edge of the photo set up, and he hands Levi the helmet. Nanaba stands in the centre of the set, hands on her hips, looking at Levi.  
“We’re just going to do a few of you holding the hat, just showcasing it, ok?”  
Levi nods, and walks onto the stage, back under the blinding lights.  
“The hat is what we’re focusing on here,” Nanaba says, getting down on one knee and pointing the camera at Levi, “and you, of course,”  
Not even 4 pictures have been taken before the frantic looking intern, hovering near the door, finally speaks up.  
“N-Nanaba, I’m sorry, but there’s someone on the phone,”  
Nanaba drops her camera and looks over her shoulder. The intern walks in, holding the phone out stiffly.  
“Who is it for?” she asks, taking the phone from them.  
“Mr Ackerman, it’s someone from his yard,”  
Levi groans and steps forward, hand extended. Nanaba drops it in his hand, and then retreats behind the racks of clothes, searching through them. Mike joins her, and the two converse quietly, heads close together, occasionally touching the clothes gently, or lifting a fabric and holding it out to the other for their opinion. Levi presses the phone to his ear.  
“What is so important that couldn’t wait until after my photoshoot?” he demands. Petra’s voice replies, slightly static-y.  
“I’m sorry, Levi, but it’s urgent. The farrier called. He’s broken his leg, some accident involving a colt on someone else’s yard, and he can’t come tomorrow. I’ve been trying to find someone else, but I can’t-“  
“There’s no one else he can send??” Levi asks, in slight disbelief, “didn’t he have an apprentice? That tall gangly one with the freckles,”  
“Levi,” Petra scolds, then reverts to a friendlier tone, “and no, he can’t send Marco. He completed his apprenticeship, and he’s working as a groom for someone else now. A rich family up country,”  
“Can’t we get him anyway?”   
“Not if he’s working elsewhere. I’ll keep trying to find someone, but if I can’t find anyone, you might need to try and catch the local farrier at the show on Saturday, before you jump”  
“There can’t be a sudden drought of farriers in the country,” Levi replies, almost cutting her off. Petra sighs, slightly irritated.  
“Unless you want to shoe him yourself, you’re going to have to trust the farrier at the show!"  
Levi scoffs.  
“As if I would ever trust an inbred country boy to shoe my horses,”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold, the introduction of Eren! I've updated a little ahead of schedule, simply because I'd already finished the chapter early.

Sitting through countless, beaming smiles and excited ‘hello’s and ‘thank you’s should have made Levi feel like the luckiest man alive, but in reality, it was wearing down his patience and his sanity. It was late afternoon, and his hands were aching from signing so many autographs, and he was desperate to be off and driving back home. But still, the line of eager young children and parents who overflowed with praise was unending. He hadn’t even competed yet!

Hanji drifts over during a slight lull in activity, when most riders are off feeding and watering their horses, and leans on the table, watching Levi with a slightly sadistic grin. Levi glares at them.  
“You knew I’d hate this,” he growls, and their grin only grows bigger.  
“Your fans love you, Levi, but I have been seeing a distinct lack of smiling. You know, giving them a smile would surely drive them wild with lust,”

Levi scoffs.

“I don’t want to drive anyone wild with lust, thank you very much,”  
“Adoration, then. Whatever you’re driving them mad with, do it with a smile!”  
“No thank you,”  
“You’re so grumpy,”

Levi turns in his chair, grabs Hanji’s wrist, and yanks them down so he’s face to face with them.

“If I hear one more snot nosed brat tell me that they ‘want to be just like me when they grow up’, I’m going to kick them square in the teeth,”  
Hanji laughs and pulls out of his grip.  
“That is, if you can reach their teeth,”  
Levi could kick them in the teeth.

“Levi,” calls a voice, and he turns. Petra is walking towards him, with a tall, unfamiliar boy in tow. She reaches the table, and nods towards the boy.  
“I found someone you might want to talk to,”

Levi raises an eyebrow and turns a sceptical eye on the boy. It was a relief to see he wasn’t holding a phone, or a camera, nor a piece of paper or a pen. He wasn’t starry eyed or love struck. He was watching Levi with dark, green eyes, flecked with gold, and an awed, yet apprehensive stare.

“Oh?” Levi says, leaning back in his seat. The boy grins, and holds out his hand. Faint burns stain his rough palms, and his knuckles and the pads of his fingers are calloused. When Levi shakes his hand firmly, the boy returns with just as much force, compressing Levi’s hand with a strength that would be hard to match.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. I’m Eren Yaeger. I’ve admired your horses ever since I first saw you at the Texas Open 3 years ago. Their fitness and form is unmatched,”

Levi raises an eyebrow, and brushes off the compliment to his horses. The boy is dressed in old jeans, a loose hoodie embalmed with the name and logo of a rugby team, and heavy, scuff marked boots.  
“You’re a little underprepared to be competing here, aren’t you?”  
Eren’s eyebrows inch up slightly.  
“Oh, I’m not competing. I’m the official farrier. I was actually going to come over anyway to offer to fit Titan with a set of studs before the competition this afternoon, but Miss Ral intercepted me and asked me to come and see you,”

Petra gives him a triumphant look.

Before Levi can answer, Hanji jumps in.

“Titan would love to be fitted with a set of studs. You’re a farrier, you say? Petra's been looking for a farrier for Levi. I suppose it’s a good job she found you, isn’t it, Levi?”

Three pairs of eyes fall on him, one pair expectant, one pair smug, the other pair elated and slightly apprehensive. Levi says nothing. Dammit, Hanji. Expect them to hire him a new farrier on the spot, with no background check or look at their style of working. 

“Yes, I have,” he says slowly, glaring at Hanji, and then looking to Eren, “but if you think I’m going to hire you on the spot, I’m not,”

Eren looks taken aback, and Petra glares at him.

“Oh…I…I wasn’t expecting anything l-like that, sir,” he stutters, “I only came over to offer to fit Titan with studs. I’m doing it for everybody,”  
“You’re sure you’re official?”  
“Yes, sir,”  
“Got any identification?”

Eren fumbles in his pockets, and Levi raises an eyebrow, glancing at Petra. She shrugs helplessly, but luckily, before Levi can dismiss him, Eren pulls a wallet out of his back pocket.

“Here,”

He flips it open, and shows Levi a National Farriers Association card. Levi studies it, and notes the various stamps, indicating awards, that line the bottom of the card.  
“Yaeger, hmm?”  
Levi is sure he recognises the name.  
“Yes, sir, it’s, uh-“  
“Didn’t your father help deliver a foal last year?”  
“Yes, sir,” Eren smiles again, looking slightly more relaxed, “a bay filly, sired by Titan and damed by Alola,”  
Levi raises an eyebrow, studying Eren sceptically, then flips the wallet closed and hands it back.

“You clearly know your stuff,”  
He stands and stretches.  
“Hanji, I’m going with Eren to watch him shoe Titan,”

“But Levi, you can’t just abandon-“

He leans over, grabs Hanji’s ponytail, pulls their face close, and mutters,  
“Watch me,”

Then he, tailed by Eren and Petra, walks away, Hanji darting after them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooohhhh, the introduction of the rivalry! How will Eren take the shocking blow that his to-be boyfriend and his darling step sister are mortal enemies? Find out, in the next chapter!
> 
> Well he probably already knew that they were rivals, so I guess it won't be much of a shock.

The foursome wind between the hourseboxes. Some are small, modest, fitting only 2 horses and hooked up to beaten up Range Rovers. Others are bigger, fitting two horses, and leaving room for a small living area. Only two horse boxes stand out, massive ones, emblazoned with logos down the sides, fitting 4 horses, and still with room to spare for storage, living area, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a bed. 

Tied up outside Levi’s trailer is Titan. Petra has obviously been working on him for a long time. His chestnut coat shines like bronze in the sunlight, and his darker tail is expertly plaited. He arches his neck as they approach, ears flicking back and forth. He swishes his tail nervously. 

“He’s beautiful,” Eren says in an awed tone, and Levi walks up to the horse, running his hand down his neck. 

The muscles beneath his glowing hair shift slightly as he tosses his head, and Hanji approaches him, beaming.  
“Hello, Titan, my little darling,” they say, not holding back as they wrap their arms around his neck. He jerks his head up again, and his sharp teeth snap together mere millimetres from Hanji’s arm, but they only laugh, hands on their hips.

“You’ve still got that spark I love so much!” they squeal, patting his nose, only to be snapped at again.

Levi huffs.   
“Isn’t Moblit supposed to be running around keeping you in check?” he asks, flicking a speck of mud off Titan’s haunches. Hanji beams.   
“He’s browsing the stalls. I promised him I wouldn’t get into any trouble,”  
Levi raises an eyebrow.

“God only knows what happened to make him believe that,” he murmurs to himself. 

Levi gestures to Titan.

“This is Titan,” he says, stepping forward to stroke his nose, “are you going to get started now?"  
“Wow…I can see why you called him that,” Eren murmurs, then raises his eyebrows “right now?”

Levi folds his arms.  
“Well I can’t think of any better time,”  
Eren pauses for a moment, then nods.  
“Right, I’ll go and get my equipment,”

He dashes off, disappearing behind the other massive horse box, which was covered by one huge logo; the huge head of a white unicorn, on a green background, down each side of which ‘MILITARY POLICE’, written in striking black letters. 

Outside the horse box is a beautiful black horse, which is attacking a bag of straw with gusto. A boy with tawny hair, close cropped into an undercut, is brushing the horse off, patting the horse’s shoulder every now and then. 

“Who is that?” Levi muses, and Hanji adjusts their glasses, squinting at the logo.  
“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s another top class competitor, like you,” they say, then shrug, “but it could just be a very rich person,”

“Military Police.” Levi glances over at Hanji, “I turned down a sponsorship from them,"  
“Did you? I don’t remember that,”  
Levi waves his hand.  
“It was before you,”

Eren has reappeared, wearing thick leather chaps and carrying a box of tools. He stops beside Titan.  
“I can’t re-shoe him now, I’m afraid, because I don’t have a furnace,” he says, looking apologetic, “but I can fit him with temporary substitutes, that can still be fitted with studs,”

“Just don’t mess him up,” Levi replies, his hand still pressed against Titan’s taut neck, “this horse cost a lot to break and train, and I’m not just talking about money. I’m talking about broken bones,”

He gives Hanji a glare, which they return, but as a smile. 

“Uh, y-yes, sir,” Eren says. He crouches down beside Titan’s foreleg, and Levi watches in amusement. 

Titan was hell to shoe, a fact which many farriers had angrily told him. But with Eren, he lifts his leg as meekly as a lamb the first time he runs a deft hand across his hock, and stands perfectly soundly as Eren gently eases on a temporary shoe. Levi had never seen someone with such a smooth and skilled way of working. Every movement is swift, and it’s obvious the boy has a talent. So mesmerised is Levi in watching Eren work, watching the way his fingers pinch and bend, watching his tanned arms flex and tighten, that he didn’t notice Hanji trying to gain his attention until they knock him in the ribs.

He jerks to attention, irritated.  
“What was that for?”

Hanji takes no notice of his snap, and nods towards a figure standing outside the other horse box. 

Tall, slim and feminine, her silky black hair is twisted into a plait at the nape of her neck, and she stands with one hand on her hip, talking to the boy with the undercut. Her other hand is on her horse’s shoulder, and when she delicately tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, Levi could have sworn he sees the boy flush and stammer. Dressed in fine riding clothes, cream jodhpurs, short black boots and a colourful jersey striped red and dark blue, she’s a sight to behold among the rag-tag bunch of children milling about.

Levi’s stare turns into a dark glare.

“Levi, isn’t that-?”

“Yes,” he growls, “Mikasa Ackerman,”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY SORRY SORRY SORRY I KNOW I SAID ONCE A MONTH I'M SO SORRY I'VE HAD 3 PIECES OF COURSEWORK TO DEAL WITH AND I'VE BEEN WRITING ESSAYS AND STORIES AND SPEECHES AND I'M VERY SORRY, HAVE A SHITTY CHAPTER I'M SORRY

Levi stands, glaring at the massive horse box and the girl standing outside it. 

“Holy shit, Levi,” Hanji whispers, a slow grin forming on their face, “imagine that! Both of you, in the same place! Oh, I have to document this, the two Ackermans, going head to head at the Churley Village Cross Country Open!”

“Just what do you mean by ‘the two Ackermans’, Hanji?” Levi growls, gripping the back of their ponytail and pulling them down to his height, “we aren’t related. We don’t know each other. The closest we get is riding in the same ring,” 

Hanji smirks.   
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were jealous,”  
Levi releases them, scoffing and folding his arms.  
“You should know better. I’ve been riding for 17 years. She’s only been riding for 6. Yes, she’s young, she’s talented, no denying that, and she has good horses. But I have experience. 6 years won’t give you that,”   
“7 and a half years, actually,” Eren says, straightening up. Levi glances at him.  
“You’re a fan of hers?”  
Eren smiles slightly, and shrugs.  
“As much of a fan as a step-brother can be,”

That’s a punch in the gut to Levi.

“Step-brother?”  
“My parents adopted her when I was about 7. She got into horses a few years later, so I did to, although I hated the riding side of it. I gave all the free lessons I got from doing odd jobs to her,” 

Levi’s almost at a loss of what to say.   
“She’s your step sister, then? Oh, wow,” a slow smile spreads across Hanji’s face, and Levi stamps on their foot discreetly, “what’s it like, living under the same roof as a celebrity?”  
“Well,” Eren chuckles and shrugs, “she still gets really bad bed head every morning,”  
“Oh, don’t we all,” Hanji says with a trilling laugh, and Levi pushes their head away.  
“Maybe if you washed your hair once in a while your bed head wouldn’t be so bad,” he growls, and they just smile.

Eren crouches down again, and checks that the shoes have set properly on Titan’s feet, and then slowly turns his head to look at Levi.  
“Are you two related?”  
“No,” Levi says quickly, in the same bored tone as he answers everyone, “it’s just a coincidence,”  
“Oh,” Eren says, running a hand over Titan’s hock, “because you two look really similar,”  
“Well we aren’t related,” Levi says in a closed tone, and Eren doesn’t push it any further.

“Y’know,” Hanji says, but Levi shoots them a furious glare.  
“ _Y’know_ ,” they say again, “you two really do look similar. Same hair, same eyes, same stature. She’s taller, of course, but that’s no a big problem. And she’s attractive, another area in which you differ”  
“Modelling magazines would beg to differ,” Eren pipes up before Levi can snap back. He inclines his head towards Eren slightly, who twists his head to the side so he can look at Hanji and Levi as he holds Titan’s foot.  
“What?”  
“Well, you model for Survey Corps Equestrian Wear, right?” he says, readjusting his grip on Titan’s hoof, “and loads of magazines have named you as eventings hottest name.  
“ _What?_ ”  
Eren bends the shoe into place, and wiggles it, checking to see how loose it is.  
“He’s right,” Hanji sings, leaning her elbow on Levi’s shoulder, “but that’s because you’re moody and mysterious. Girls like that sort of thing. She’s _pretty_ ,”

Levi straightens the cuff of his cross country jersey and picks a lint ball off it.  
“I have no interest in being popular or attractive,” he says, “I just want to ride and get out of here,”

Eren doesn’t reply, just tugs the back of the shoe, checking it doesn’t come off.  
“Well, I think he’s good to go,” Eren says, straightening up and folding his arms, “they’ll need to be removed tonight, so you can ask your farrier to do that,”  
“You’ll be doing that,” Levi says with barely a moment of hesitation. Eren frowns at him.  
“What?”

“You’ll be removing the shoes. You’re my farrier now,"


End file.
